


The Truth About Perfect

by HPFandom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, Explicit Language, Horror, M/M, Romance, Sexual Content, Slash sex, Spoilers, Supernatural - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-18
Updated: 2011-07-23
Packaged: 2018-09-30 10:15:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10160960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HPFandom_archivist/pseuds/HPFandom_archivist
Summary: Harry has built himself a life, and is living it, but what is he to do when Ginny kicks him out of Black Manor for being undependable?  And who will pick up the pieces?This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.





	1. Chapter One - Anniversary

**Author's Note:**

> Note from SeparatriX, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HP Fandom](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HP_Fandom_\(archive\)), which was closed for health and financial reasons. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HP Fandom collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hpfandom/profile).

May 2, 2015

It was a dark and stormy night. Which only went to prove that bad things happened on dark, stormy nights. The lightning was the only thing providing illumination, and although the flashes happened quite a bit, they weren't close enough to make much of a difference. Harry could feel the rain soaking his neck and plastering his hair to his face. Only time it would lie flat, when it was wet.

Ginny had just tossed him out. Said he was undependable, and she was going to keep the kids. All three of them. What was wrong? Harry couldn't think of a single reason for her to suddenly be acting this way, but she was, and what was he supposed to do now? She'd taken Black Manor, and pushed him out of it.

He could... well he could do a lot of things but for now it might be best for him to let her cool down from whatever. Really, he had no clue what was up with her. As the rain pelted him he tried to come up with a clear plan. He could go to Ron and Hermione except they had just gone on a second honeymoon and it might be creepy to use their place while they were away. He had to do something, so he apparated to a safe spot near the Leaky Cauldron and walked in, ringing his hair out as he entered.

Several heads looked up and there was a general gasp of surprise. Then everyone looked back down at what they were drinking or eating, as though no one had seemed surprised to see him after all. From behind the bar the new bartender gave Harry a tentative smile and a wave.

"Hello there Harry, how are you doing tonight?"

"I've been better," he said, scanning the room. Was there something he was supposed to have done that he didn't know about? Maybe the newspaper was messing with him again. He went to the bar and sat down. "Any chance of a hot tea?" He lowered his voice further. "Have I done something lately of general note that I don't know about?"

"Sure Harry, I can get you some hot tea." Jason turned and began to fix the tea for a moment before turning around. "I suppose it's just strange to see you here tonight is all," he admitted, lowering his voice as he looked over at Harry. "What with it being the anniversary and all."

Harry thought on that for a while. No, he and Ginny wouldn't have their anniversary for six months yet. Anniversary... anniversary... anniversary of what? "Ah, well, just a bit... wet outside so..." might be best to stop talking for now. Anniversary... he mulled it over.

Jason put the tea down in front of Harry and gave him a small nod. "Right, it's storming so... it is wet." He looked past Harry and then gave a small nod. "Excuse me," Jason said politely, moving to make another drink.

It was actually a bit of a relief to have him do so. Harry stared into his cup then sipped the hot liquid. What, exactly, had Ginny thinking he was undependable? Had he forgotten something important? He worked, he came home, he played with the kids, he put them to bed on time, he slept with her every night. What had he done wrong? What was today the anniversary of? He sighed and drank some more tea, letting his mind wander.

He could hear strings of conversation coming from behind him, people talking about tragedies and how nice it was that things were over. Someone talking about how all the Death Eaters weren't rounded up, others saying the Auror's were doing the best job they could. They all seemed interested in keeping their voices down, which was strange for a Saturday night in the Leaky.

My fault, he thought. It would be best to get out of here soon. When he went places it made people uncertain and uncomfortable sometimes. It helped to have the kids with him, or his wife. It reminded people that he was just another husband or father. When he was alone he was still Harry Potter and...! Ah ha! That was it, today was the anniversary of the attack on Hogwarts. Of course it was pouring rain, and he had graves to visit. It had nearly slipped right past him. He downed the rest of the tea and put his money on the bar standing. The flower shop should still be open.

Jason looked over at him and gave him a nod. "Thanks for stopping in Mr. Potter," he said to him.

Harry smiled briefly, "Have a pleasant evening," and headed out the magical side to get his flowers.


	2. Chapter Two - A Lily and A Rose

  
Author's notes: Harry has built himself a life, and is living it, but what is he to do when Ginny kicks him out of Black Manor for being undependable? And who will pick up the pieces?  


* * *

With flowers for every grave he needed to visit Harry headed into the graveyard, soaked through again. It seemed fitting now for the sky to be crying torrents on him and it suited his new mood. Usually Ginny went with him but evidently not this year. Who knew, maybe she had kicked him out just to avoid this trip.  
When he reached the graveyard he saw a small gathering of people there. One of them looked up and he saw Neville's grim face, which spread into a small smile when he saw Harry. 

"Hey there Harry," Neville waved.

A blonde head peered from around him and Luna blinked her eyes at him. "Hullo Harry, we were wondering if you'd come already, but there weren't any flowers so we weren't sure."

"No I... stopped home first and then had to get the flowers so..." Should he tell them about Ginny? Would they ask where she was?

"It's good you're here," George said, moving away from the others and walking right over to Harry to wrap arms around him in a strong hug. "Thanks for coming mate, Fred would have been right angry if you hadn't."

"Sure, I..." he thumped George on the back, knowing that at least here he was on firm ground. George was as dependable as the earth in a way. People would laugh if he told them that but it was the truth. The man was stable, even if he did thrive on practical jokes. "I wouldn't ever want to make him angry." No, unless he was asked, this wasn't the time to talk about Ginny.

"That's right," George agreed, and suddenly Harry was surrounded by strong arms as all six of the people there became a part of the hug.

For several minutes they stayed like that, then one person stepped away and began singing. The words made no sense, it wasn't in any language Harry understood, but the sadness and sweetness to the notes spoke volumes. One by one the others moved away from Harry and began turning to different graves silently.

Harry always visited them all, Fred, Lupin, Tonks, so many graves and he had a flower for each of them. He wandered, pausing to remember each person and say a few silent words to them before moving on. Ginny often rushed him but tonight everyone was together, yet separate, and he was able to take his time until there was only one flower left, a lily. He turned and wove his way further into the cemetery. Snape was with his family, the one he really had never known, the Prince family. He was next to his mother there. His grave seemed to draw the least visitors, yet it was the one that drew Harry most strongly. This was the one place he always went alone because Ginny never wanted to go.

There was already one single red rose on the grave this year. Harry had always been the first person to leave something here in the past. It was good to know someone else stopped by. There was a sadness coming from the grave, as though it was neglected. He always felt the unfairness of that when he visited.

Harry paused and gazed at the red rose. Had it always shown up like his lily? Who put it there? What did that person think when they saw his lily? Did they wonder about it like he was wondering about the rose? He sighed, Malfoy maybe and in a way he would have more right to come and visit. Harry always felt a bit like an intruder. He gently placed his lily a bit below the rose, like it was the secondary of the two then bit his upper lip. Severus Snape, there was a man who never failed to confuse him. Perhaps he was just destined to never understand the people around him.

"So you're the one who puts the lily here," a soft voice said from the shadows behind him. It was silky smooth and cultured.

He almost reached for his wand, a ridiculous reflex in a time of peace but as an Auror Harry had really never been allowed to know peace. He forced his hand into a natural position and turned his head instead, looking carefully into the shadows. A flicker of platinum and a glint of grey assured him that it was Draco Malfoy. He inclined his head in agreement. "You must have brought the rose."

"Every year," he said softly, stepping out of the shadows and closer to Harry. "This year though, I beat you. I had decided to wait, see if you showed up." One hand reached up into the platinum hair to brush long strands out of his eyes. "I had a feeling it was you, but I couldn't prove it until now." He was dressed well, very nicely, like he had just come from a fancy dinner or a play.

It was always like this and Harry supposed it always would be. In front of Malfoy he felt like he'd just crawled out of an alley in London wearing rags. "I'm late this year." The argument with Ginny had made him forget completely. How could he forget such an important day?

"So I see," Malfoy smirked, but it was short lived. He looked down at the rose and lily for a moment before reaching out to place both blooms together, stems crossing. "Neither one of us are better than the other Potter. I've learned at least that much by now."

Harry stared at the flowers crossed that way for a while. Why did it make him so uneasy? Was it a feeling that somehow the Malfoys were purer? That would be odd, all things considered. It was more that feeling like the two of them should never be that close unless they were fighting. His head tilted to the side a bit. Odd, those feelings like the ones he had regarding Snape, so odd. He opened his mouth to speak but found that he didn't know what to say, so he closed it again.

Malfoy stood back up, dusting his hands off together as he turned to look at Harry. "What's wrong Potter?" 

Harry shook his head. "I have no idea. Don't you know that I'm usually clueless by now? You are the one who usually knew what was really going on by comparison." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "The older I get the more clueless I become." Then he looked at the man visiting this grave with him. "They don't take good enough care of him. I usually clean up a bit."

"They never take good enough care of the great ones," Malfoy agreed. "But I've cleaned up already, so you don't have to worry about that." He reached out to gently touch Harry's face. "I don't know that you're really clueless Potter, more, absent minded."

"Is that so?" His mind went to Ginny, "I wonder what I've forgotten this time." Malfoy was touching his face. That was odd. He looked into grey eyes, uncertain.

"You've forgotten something Potter?" Draco asked, voice dropping to a silky whisper and he stepped closer, the heat from his body wafting over to Harry. The hand slipped down his cheek and fingers ran across his chin.

"Or perhaps you're wrong and I'm actually just clueless." Harry smiled slightly. Was he being... flirted with? Was Malfoy making a move on him? "How close are you going to come to me?"

"How close are you going to let me Potter?" Malfoy moved his other arm to place fingers on Harry's shoulder, then he leaned in, their bodies almost pressing against each other, a thin thread of air between them.

Was he serious? He seemed serious. Harry was paralyzed in that moment, feeling the warmth of Malfoy so close and noticing that he wasn't really inclined to back away. What did that mean? He swallowed and thought about stepping back. 

"Are you afraid of me Potter?" Malfoy whispered, leaning in and lightly kissing Harry's chin. "Am I frightening now, when I never was before?"

"You are..." he finally regained some control of his body and backed away a step. His mind and mouth, however, were still in shock. "I mean why are you...?" He stared at him. He kissed his chin and if he had stayed there? Was Malfoy actually... obviously he was and weren't they both married?

Malfoy let him move away, smirking as his hand and face left Harry's body. "Why am I what Potter? Hitting on you? Trying to seduce you in a tomb? You seemed to need someone to show you that you were desirable. Did it work?"

That was nearly impossible to respond to because Harry's head flew off in four or five directions at once. How had Malfoy sensed that? Why would he respond to it? Why was it pleasant for him to respond to it? What would Ginny think of that? Did he care what Ginny thought? "I..." Harry shook his head, not sure what thoughts, if any, to voice.

Pale lips curved up into something more like a smile than a smirk and Malfoy tilted his head to one side. "You didn't answer my question Potter."

Harry's lips formed an oh. There had been a question hadn't there? What had it been? His mind scrambled. A question would be something to hold onto. "Yes." It had worked, though he had no idea why. "It did, but I'm not sure that makes it a good thing."

The head returned to normal and Malfoy clasped his hands together in front of him. "You're having trouble focusing, aren't you? Does it really seem so strange that I would be interested in you? I spent most of our school days focused on you in one way or another."

"Yes." He was starting to get a grasp on things now that they were managing conversation and not as close. "It really seems strange. After all, you were mostly focused on being angry at me and making me pay for various misdeeds."

"But none the less focused. I have always been interested in you, or I never would have offered you friendship that first year."

Harry shook his head and glanced back at Snape. "I don't understand." In the end there had been so much he didn't understand, about Malfoy, about Snape, about everyone. Maybe that was just how life was.

Malfoy gave a shake of his head and held out his hand. "Have you eaten dinner?"

"No, but..." he still needed a bit of time with Snape, alone. He wasn't used to having anyone there. Was that selfish? Besides, was it a good idea to eat with Malfoy? He had just made it pretty clear that his interests had a romantic edge to them and Ginny... Ginny had just kicked him out. "Do I seem undependable to you?"

"You feel undependable?" Malfoy returned the question.

"No, I do not." If he did it would make sense. "I think my wife has lost her mind."

Malfoy snorted. "She lost her mind the moment she met you Potter, and don't forget it. Did she say you were undependable?"

Harry nodded slowly. Again he didn't understand what Malfoy was saying. Ginny had always seemed sane to him, more or less.

"Then it is because she doesn't understand dependence." Malfoy looked down at Snape's statue and then back to Harry. "I'm going to stand outside until you come out, then we're going to go to dinner and talk. If you'd like some time alone, you can have it. I won't let anyone come in until you come out." With that, he moved towards the door.

Harry wondered if he should say anything just long enough that Malfoy was gone before he did and then he was alone, with Snape. I don't understand, he thought turning to the grave again, sitting down close to it and staring at the statue. Things make less sense every year and you were the only one who seemed to think I ought to be given any chance to understand them. So why did you think you were finished when you handed me those memories? What made you think you could leave me? How am I ever supposed to make sense of the world with the only man who knew I didn't get it gone? He sighed and ran a finger over the name Severus Snape. Severus Snape, the Half Blood Prince, a man who no one ever really knew. Was he just being stubborn? Surely this man deserved his peace. I would have l liked to have known you as something other than an enemy. You would have had no mercy for these feeling I suppose. He bit his lip and stood. I hope you have a peaceful year, he told Snape in his mind. Then he turned away, that was always the hardest part, turning away. Without looking back he went outside and his heart told him clearly that if Malfoy had not been waiting outside this year he would definitely have broken down.

Malfoy was talking easily with Luna. Both pairs of eyes looked over at him when he came out.

"Oh, Harry, I was just coming to let you know we're done here. George and Angelina are going and Neville, well, he's heading out with Hannah. It doesn't ever seem right to come and not say hello to Professor Snape though, so I was coming here for that. Do you want to say goodbye to the rest?" She motioned over her shoulder where the rest of the group were standing, giving him and Malfoy plenty of space.

He nodded to Luna, "Thank you." Then he looked at Malfoy. "I'll be right back," and went to say goodbye to the others.

There was another group hug, and several people asked him if he wanted to come over to their houses for some dinner or conversation. Luna was by before anyone got very insistent though and she said in her guileless voice, "He's going to be having dinner with Draco. I think it's past time those two got some time alone, don't you?"

Harry closed his eyes briefly and wondered how much Luna really knew about he and Draco and the dinner invitation. She had an uncanny ability to see things no one else did, though few people realized it. "As she said, so I'll take my leave and see you all later." He offered a friendly smile and tried to feel it so they wouldn't see into his heart just yet. Ginny wasn't here. They had to be wondering about that.

"Alright mate, if that's your wish for this night," George said, looking at him a bit confused. "Take care though, Gin gets really angry when people don't come home on time."

"Oh, don't worry about Ginny," Luna said. "I've got some cake to take to her. I'm sure she hasn't forgotten I'm coming over." Then Luna turned to Harry and placed a hand on his arm. "Take your time, I look forward to hearing how things went." There was something underlying in her words, but he couldn't figure it out. He thought Ginny might very well have forgotten, but he didn't say so. Instead he said his final goodbyes and went to join Malfoy for dinner. It was hard to say what he expected to get out of that but there was some possibility there, something.


	3. ChapterThree - Missing A Prince

Malfoy waited until everyone left, then he held out his hand to Harry. "What do you think of seafood?"

 

Harry nodded, though real seafood was something he barely ever had. The Dursleys wouldn't spend the money on him and Ginny never seemed interested. So this was his first reason to try it. He had always thought that shrimp, at least, was probably really tasty.

 

Draco raised his eyebrows as he reached out to take Harry's hand. The fingers were smooth and silky, warm against Harry's flesh. "I think that was an agreement that seafood is something you eat. I'll take that as a desire to eat some."

 

Was he acting strange? Well it only made sense, didn't it? This was something Harry had no idea how to deal with. Before he could think of what to say they were apparating and that caused the thoughts to flee at any rate.

 

When they settled, Malfoy put a hand out to steady Harry. They were standing on a brightly lit street, the smell of the ocean coming very strongly from behind them. Sounds of laughter and excitement were coming from the building in front of them, which looked like a fishing shack way too large for the docks it was settled on. Perhaps it was only the magic keeping it there, for Harry could feel that it was full of magic, and the people going in and coming out were wearing everything from casual to formal robes. The noise was deafening as it washed over him.

 

"You alright Potter?" Malfoy asked with another one of his trademark smirks.

 

That was something Harry actually knew how to deal with. "I'm fine Malfoy, just fine." Apparating always disturbed him. He didn't know why.

 

"Good." His hand fell and Malfoy turned to the building, walking towards it in eager anticipation. "The food here is excellent, most of it caught off their docks, so there is nothing fresher."

 

Shrimp, that was his plan. There would probably be a dizzying menu full of items he didn't know, so he would choose the first dinner with the word shrimp in it and get that one. Why was he doing this again? Oh well, it was a chance to try shrimp. He followed Malfoy, fairly cheerful all of a sudden himself.

 

"Are you always so quiet when you're on a date Potter, or is it just the first ones that bog you down?" Malfoy tossed over his shoulder, eyes lit with laughter.

 

"It's not a date Malfoy, and I'll leave if you keep calling it one. After all, we are both married." Harry said it calmly, because he was fairly sure he hadn't agreed to anything of the sort. If nothing else Luna would have warned him, right?

 

"Are we?" Malfoy asked, tilting his head back to look at the building in front of them. They had almost reached the door but he stopped. "Are you certain of that?"

 

Harry blinked at him for a few moments. He was married that was certain and surely if Malfoy divorced it would have been all over the newspaper and the Ministry as well. "As certain as I can be without actually being both of us."

 

Malfoy chuckled then and shook his head. "Right. And dating while being married is adultery. Don't worry Potter, I'm not going to make divorce easy for her." Then he moved forward again and reached the door before Harry hardly had a chance to move.

 

Make divorce easy for her? "That's cryptic," he complained as he caught up again. What was Malfoy thinking? Divorce? He and Ginny? There was no way.

 

"Two please, far corner in the back by the window, and we'll wait until that table is available," Malfoy said to the man before nodding. "Put it under Prince." Then Malfoy turned back to Harry. "I'm good with cryptic Potter, don't you know?"

 

"Prince?" An echo of Snape. He couldn't help wondering about it. Was it just for today or did Malfoy use it often?

 

"What has brought us together again. Prince." Malfoy reached out a hand and lightly touched Harry's cheek. "Don't you agree?"

 

Harry watched him, completely uncertain. Then he backed away firmly. "I suppose that makes sense." It felt good to be touched by Malfoy but he wasn't certain it was a good thing. He wanted to ask about Ginny, but then again, a part of him knew he should wait until they were seated, until after they ordered. Then, if Malfoy had not brought it up again, he would.

 

Malfoy watched him and for a moment, something like hurt flashed through his eyes. It was covered quickly though, and with a small smile, Malfoy dropped his hand. "Of course it makes sense Potter. I'm good with the making sense thing, you aren't."

 

Wasn't he? How so? Why did it bother him, that hurt look which had flashed through Malfoy's eyes? Maybe it was just because he hated to hurt anyone. "Malfoy, I..." he shook his head. Should he have said no to this? He shrugged, "I think I make perfect sense most of the time."

 

Malfoy snorted and shrugged, moving away to point at a bench outside, on the docks. "Would you like to sit? It might take a while for our table to be ready."

 

"Sure." Harry walked out to the bench and sat down next to Malfoy, his mind wandering.

 

Malfoy sat next to him, close enough to touch, far enough away that Harry didn't have to. He leaned back and looked at Harry, his face serious as he did so. "Do you miss him?" he asked.

 

Harry nodded, unable to lie about it. He pretty much expected Malfoy to say all sorts of things about that, unfriendly things. Yet Malfoy was on better than his best behavior and he seemed much different these days.

 

"Me too," Malfoy nodded. "I want to ask him all sorts of things, but... I can't, because he's gone."

 

"There were so many things that he said and did and I didn't listen, you know? I feel like there was no way for me to really do anything else back then but knowing what I know now I want to go back and ask him what he meant, how he expected me to do those things. I still haven't mastered them and besides..." could he tell Malfoy that he didn't think it seemed right for Snape to just give up? What would Malfoy think of him? "Besides, I can't make sense of him dying like that."

 

"You aren't the only one," Malfoy snarled slightly before shaking his head and looking away. "It was as though he thought he'd done enough, and was just letting go of everything. As though we didn't need him anymore."

 

Anger welled up inside of Harry, an anger he thought he had come to terms with but as it turned out he didn't really know how. It was childish and yet. "Yes, that's it. That's just what it was like and I hate it." He reigned in the anger as much as he could but some of it still escaped. They said it was a stage of grieving. He had talked to Hermione about it again and again. A stage of grieving huh? Why wasn't he over it then?

 

"Just who was he to think for us? We're the ones who think for ourselves, not him. If we wanted him out of our lives, we'd have pushed him out, not carried his broken body across the grass at Hogwarts," Malfoy snarled the words, turning to look at Harry as though they were completely on the same wavelength, agreeing on something so fundamental that it shouldn't bother either of them to be talking about it.

 

"I... I agree!" Was that alright? Was it really alright to agree? "I can't help it, maybe it's selfish of me but... I agree." His eyes met Malfoy's. "What made him think he knew what was best for us and what would make him think *that* was what was best?"

 

"Exactly," Malfoy said, crossing his arms as he turned in the bench to face Harry completely. "There he was all those years, trying to give us what *he* thought was good advice, then when we *really* needed him, after the war when we didn't know what to do with everything we'd just gone through, he was gone, having decided that we didn't need him anymore. It was like..." Malfoy paused, eyes going wide, as though he just realized everything he had said.

 

In that moment Harry realized two things, that there really was someone who understood what he was going through, and that that person had not meant for him to know it. "Don't..." Harry looked down at the floor. He stared at it and held in angry tears. "Please don't just stop there." He had to hear someone else say the words. He had to hear Malfoy finish saying all of the things he had been thinking.

 

There was heavy breathing for a moment, then Malfoy reached out and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "It was like when I realized the one person I needed was him, he'd gone away."

 

"Yes," Harry breathed, "yes, that's what it is. That's just it." His eyes filled with the tears he hadn't shed. "Why did he leave us all alone when we needed him most? Did he not know or did he just not care?" He looked at Malfoy but he already knew Malfoy probably didn't know the answer any better than he did.

 

Malfoy's own eyes were filled with tears. "And here we are, blundering around on our own with no chance of knowing what to do next while our wives are out screwing each other."


	4. Chapter Four - They What?

Harry blinked at him and the tears fell down his cheeks, then he wiped at them impatiently. While our wives are out screwing each other, repeated itself in his mind again and again and finally he managed, "Our wives are what?"

 

"Screwing each other," Malfoy said, shaking his head. "Didn't Gin tell you? Oh, I told her to do that months ago, what's she waiting for?"

 

"Months?" Ginny was doing what? Ginny was screwing who? Months ago? What is she waiting for? The memory of her kicking him out that day echoed through his head. Then, he looked at Malfoy. Was he lying? That was not the face of someone who had just lied. He was too upset. "Like hell she's taking the kids," Harry growled.

 

"What the bloody hell has she told you then?" Malfoy roared, standing up, anger twisting his beautiful face into something monstrous. "I told her and Tori both *we* were taking the kids, since they obviously didn't know how to be adults about their feelings!"

 

"She told me she was kicking me out! She said I was undependable and she was keeping the kids." So this was her solution? Ginny thought is was fine to just hide what she had been doing and what? Lie? Had she just made it all up to chase him away?

 

"So that's where the undependable comes from. Well she can't have the kids. It's been finalized since before... way before today." Malfoy shook his head. "She must have thought if she told you like this then you might promise them to her without really knowing what was going on. She's wrong though," Malfoy paced away from Harry and then looked back. "She's wrong."

 

Harry stared at him, his emotions boiling and boiling anger, resentment, disappointment, rage, until all of a sudden it all went dead and he was left with a feeling of overall numb. "I don't understand." He didn't understand any of it, Ginny leaving him, Malfoy having to tell him his wife was cheating, having to worry that Ginny would separate him from the kids. He shook his head, at a loss.

 

For several long minutes Malfoy stared at him, anger lacing his gaze, until his shoulders slumped, emotions flowing away like Harry's were. "I don't either, I just know it's true." His voice was flat, harsh and cold.

 

One thought chased another until Harry's mind caught on something and held there. It was like he was drowning and had to find a thought to hold onto, one that would keep him from falling permanently into the abyss of total numb. "So why today? Did you say something in particular to them about today?"

 

"I told them that I wouldn't permit things to remain the same way past the anniversary of the Battle at Hogwarts. If Gin didn't talk to you before today, I was going to do it myself Monday morning. At the Ministry, in front of everyone there."

 

Harry nodded slowly. "I'll expect you there then." Ginny making up stupid excuses, then kicking him out of the house was not the same as talking to him.

 

"I just don't understand why she didn't tell you anything." Malfoy said flabbergasted. "I mean, nothing? What was she thinking?"

 

"I don't know." He really couldn't imagine. "Now I'm more worried about the kids then ever. Do you think... the children know?"

 

Malfoy shook his head. "Scorpius knows, mainly because he walked in on them, but your kids? I don't think so." He straightened and then sat down on the bench again, this time close enough that he lightly pressed against Harry. "I suppose I will be seeing you Monday."

 

"So... when she's there, who watches the children do you suppose?" It wasn't going to be easy to let go of this. The kids could be at home unsupervised right now. "I... I really don't want to say this but I'm going to need to step out for a bit. She kicked me out tonight and you aren't home what if... I mean I just need to know someone is with them." Luna would be, right?

 

"You're worried about the kids? Don't be. I made a deal with someone, and our kids are getting along famously. You might have a child in Slytherin by the time they all get to school," Malfoy smirked.

 

"As if that would bother me." Harry brushed it off, "In fact I'm rather hoping I will." It was a relief to know they were being watched, but how had all of this been hidden from him?

 

"It wouldn't?" Malfoy actually sounded surprised and he shifted a bit closer to Harry. "You want a Slytherin in the family?"

 

"I thought it would make up a bit for the fact that I rejected it when the hat seemed to like it for me so much." The words were out of his mouth before he thought about them.

 

Grey eyes went wide. "The hat wanted *you* for Slytherin?"

 

Harry bit at his lower lip and nodded. "I refused though and told it anything but." It seemed like so long ago and Ginny was cheating on him. She had been and he hadn't had a clue. "Am I an idiot?"

 

"Yes, was that ever in question?" Malfoy said it so quickly it was as though he'd rehearsed the answer.

 

"Malfoy I..." Ginny was his world. He did everything for her, or at least with her in mind. His job, the number of children, the fact that Albus was Albus Severus instead of Severus Albus. All of the compromises. "How long? Do you know?"

 

With a shrug he looked away. "I don't know. I've known about five, six months? Something like that."

 

Why? What was the problem? He had always given her everything she wanted more or less so... was it just that she preferred women? As he thought about it though he knew there had been signs. A lot of signs. He had just... trusted her. "I think I should be feeling more right now." Had he buried it all?

 

"No. No matter what people say, the first stage is numb, pure numb. I mean, we give them everything right? The house, the money, the children, and they want something, we get it for them. A job, status, pretty things to wear or have, and then they go find someone at some party and decide, "That looks more inviting," and next thing you know you come home to find your child has been crying for hours because Mummy was with Auntie Gin in the bedroom for most of the day and he's hungry but all the house elves have been sent away for the week. It makes a person numb."

 

"Auntie Gin," he nodded, it made sense but who had been with his kids? Ginny, she loved the idea of him as an Auror. It turned her on. What had happened to that? When had things changed? He breathed in deeply and let it out slowly. Was Ginny still Ginny? Who was Ginny? Had he ever really known her? "She wants the kids."

 

"She can't have them," Malfoy snarled again, eyes snapping to Harry's face in an instant. "And Tori can't have Scorpius. I have to assume Gin was hoping you'd take her at face value and give her rights to them without knowing the full situation."

 

"Then she has forgotten who I am." Or had she never known? "I was planning to go back tomorrow and find out what had gotten into her. Thought maybe she was pregnant again." Mood swings, it had been one of his thoughts.

 

"I certainly hope not, unless... are you getting arse still Potter?" Malfoy asked, sounding vaguely jealous.

 

"I don't really like that way of putting it, but yes, I suppose I am." Did that really mean anything though? "Most likely it's because she didn't want me to figure things out." Not that he would have. Most likely he wouldn't have had a clue. He would have thought it was his fault somehow.

 

Malfoy shook his head and looked up at the gathering stars like they held the answer to everything. "Gods must hate me. Either that or Merlin was part of my family somewhere."

 

"Merlin?" At first Harry didn't get the reference. He was too absorbed with his own thoughts. "Oh, right, Merlin."

 

"Unable to find and keep a woman who understood him," Malfoy said, shaking his head. "Do you know your history Potter?"

 

"It was my worst subject. Weren't you just hitting on a man earlier though?"

 

"I was hitting on a man earlier," Malfoy said, smirking then. "And I'd keep hitting on him if I thought he might actually be interested." He leaned closer in to Harry and his breath tickled Harry's face as he said, "Because I am, quite certainly, interested in him."

 

"He isn't ready for anything like that. Do you really want to get close to him when he was totally devoted to his wife about half an hour ago and expecting their marriage to last forever?" Harry's heart beat a bit faster though. He had found the idea interesting from the beginning and that was odd. Why was Malfoy attractive to him? Well, if he let it happen now it would probably end up being a disaster.

 

"How fascinating," Malfoy said, kissing Harry's cheek before backing away. "Well, this man will be honorable and try not to get into a relationship with that man until he is properly divorced, but all bets are off after that." Malfoy winked, and then they heard a voice say.

 

"Prince, party of 2, your table is ready."


End file.
